France has selected three electrolytic hydrogen projects for 778 million euros in 15-year subsidies, backing green steel, e-methanol and low-carbon fertiliser production as the first winners of its new national support scheme.
France has awarded 778 million euros in subsidies over 15 years to the first three winners of its national support scheme for low-carbon hydrogen, according to a French government statement reported on 23 July. The three projects will install 415 MW of electrolysis capacity, of which 161.4 MW qualifies for public support tied to industrial use.
The government avoided the term green hydrogen, reflecting France’s nuclear-heavy power mix, which sits outside the EU’s renewable-energy definition. Support covers only the share of each electrolyser feeding permitted industrial uses, not hydrogen destined for transport fuels, which draw on separate schemes.
The only project funded for its full planned capacity is Hydrozère, developed by ENGIE Solutions H2. It will build a 5 MW electrolyser at ArcelorMittal’s steelworks in Saint-Chély-d’Apcher in Lozère, supplying hydrogen for the plant’s metallurgical processes.
The second project, eM-Rhône, is led by Elyse Energy and will make synthetic methanol at the Les Roches-Roussillon chemical complex in Salaise-sur-Sanne, Isère. The plant will combine hydrogen from a 210 MW electrolyser with CO2 captured at the Lafarge cement works in Le Teil, with 61.1 MW of the electrolyser eligible for support.
The third project, FertHySomme, comes from FertigHy, which will build a plant at Languevoisin-Quiquery in the Somme for low-carbon nitrogen fertilisers. Its 200 MW electrolyser will receive support for 95.3 MW of capacity.
The winners have two months to provide financial guarantees and sign their funding agreements. If any withdraws, the money can pass to the next-ranked projects. The awards are a first step toward building industrial-scale electrolysis in France to cut emissions in steel, chemicals and fertilisers.
